TASCAM releases Continuous Velocity Piano (GVI)

Without fanfare, TASCAM has made available Continuous Velocity Piano, a free GVI Player based VST, RTAS and stand-alone instrument for Windows that utilizes GIGA's Spectral Morphing technology instead of massive multisampling. This instrument utilizes only a single velocity sample, which is precisely and continuously expanded via the Spectral Interpolate Velocity (SIV) mode of GIGA's Spectral Morphing filters, to cover the full dynamic range, pp to ff. It is a FREE 150+Mb download from the TASCAM website.

Continuous Velocity Piano is based on spectral morphing. Eliminating the need for many bulky, discrete sample layers, spectral morphing technology produces continuous, spectral variation by processing only a single baseline sample velocity. Using the baseline as a starting point, the spectral morphing filters then dynamically interpolate frequency characteristics, which can then be continuously morphed during and after musical notes are played. The result is far greater musicality with over ten times the amount of dynamic expression. Another benefit is that instruments are much smaller in memory consumption, yet with greater playability and realism.

Continuous Velocity Piano showcases both spectral morphing and convolution modeling, transcending the boundaries imposed by numerous, separate, sample layers, which has been the traditional approach. Spectral morphing provides a much more elegant and powerful solution that players can certainly feel, and virtual instrument developers can now create instruments in a fraction of time by eliminating the majority of laborious multi-sample collection. For example, the new Continuous Velocity Piano is only 180MB compared to the 1.1GB size of the GigaPiano-II, yet the new instrument has effectively Eighteen times the number of sample layers.

The Piano is a KAWAI grand piano, 7'4", residing in Electric LarryLand Studios, Austin, TX. The piano had been recently rebuilt, and is known for it's shimmering, clear tone. It has been used on many recordings made by nine-time Grammy winning engineer, Larry Seyer.